Lancer swore he was absolutely going to throw off his "Grand Caster (Candidate)" hat tonight.
There was no doubt he was in an unusually excited state, acting just a bit different from his usual self—enough that the soldiers walking with him exchanged quiet looks, marveling, No matter how quiet or indifferent he usually seems, a man's still a man, huh~?
But the route they took next felt strange, because they weren't heading toward the familiar entertainment street Lancer knew.
And as for why Lancer knew his way around that so-called entertainment street? Well—ahem—minor details. Regardless, the path felt wrong.
"Where exactly are we going? Weren't we supposed to head to…"
His voice trailed off, but the meaning was obvious. The colleague leading him only shook his head with a crooked smile.
"Lancer, you only just got to the Capital, so maybe you don't know. Sure, Entertainment Street gets the most traffic, but tsk tsk~ the only ones who go are either rich nobles and merchants or dirt-poor commoners. The places for the rich—while technically still part of the street—don't even let ordinary folks in. And the commoner spots… well, do I need to explain?"
"Then… what about people like you— I mean, us?"
"Hehe~ That's where I'm taking you. They don't have official business permits, but they're still semi-public…"
After saying that, the man stopped talking and picked up the pace. Lancer let the matter drop and followed. Before long, they arrived before a cluster of large buildings.
"This place is… what?"
He had expected pink lights or some hidden, shady den. He hadn't expected a luxury villa complex.
"This? It's the home of a slave merchant who just arrived from the eastern provinces. Alright, enough wasting time. Let's go."
His companion strode confidently to the main gate. After a brief exchange with the guards, the doors opened and the group walked inside.
"Welcome, Lieutenant-sama."
A middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed mustache approached before they even reached the main building. Strangely, he looked nothing like a "slave merchant," more like a refined gentleman.
"What's the matter?"
"No, it's just… a slave merchant…"
"Is that really so strange? Haven't you ever seen one before, Lancer?"
His colleague's casual tone left Lancer momentarily speechless. Slavery hadn't vanished even in modern times—it survived in dark corners, hidden away. But society instinctively rejected those involved in it. The man's utterly natural expression made Lancer realize, for the first time, just how out of place he was in this world.
His colleague didn't seem to notice his unease. He simply patted Lancer's shoulder.
"Slave merchants are fully legal in the Empire, as long as they've got the right licenses. Every year, whether we're fighting off invading tribes, dealing with border skirmishes with smaller kingdoms, or paying the salaries of soldiers like us—the Empire needs huge amounts of money. Captured enemy tribesmen are sold in bulk at the border to slave merchants, who then distribute them across the country…"
Listening to the explanation, Lancer felt as if the man wasn't talking about humans at all, just "goods." That absurd feeling only grew once they entered the building and he saw the countless ragged people chained by the neck.
"You're not sympathizing with them, are you?"
"…"
Lancer didn't answer, but his silence was enough.
"Lancer-shōi, you still don't understand the Empire's situation. These foreign-tribe scum aren't worth your sympathy. Do you know what they do when they break into our villages? Do you have any idea what happens to our people when they're captured? You—"
Just as his words were heating up, the man who'd been speaking with the merchant earlier returned and grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Quesser-aniki, you're going too far. Lancer-shōi only enlisted recently. And Lancer-bro, don't take it personally. Quesser-aniki was transferred here from the eastern army and's been through multiple battles with those tribes, even infiltrated their territory for missions. He's seen things the rest of us haven't… Anyway, let's drop it. We're here to have fun tonight~"
Laughing it off, he led Lancer toward rows of iron cages.
"Boss, no need to follow us. We'll choose on our own. But this friend's here for the first time—give him a proper introduction?"
With that, he and the others stepped aside, leaving Lancer awkwardly alone with the slave merchant.
"My apologies for not introducing myself earlier, sir. I am Niber, the owner of this establishment. Please allow me to show you my 'merchandise.'"
He spoke with a calm ease—almost pride—leaving Lancer briefly at a loss. The tone reminded him disturbingly of a pet shop owner recommending animals.
"I heard from Lieutenant-sama that this is your first time visiting a place like this?"
"…That's right."
His voice came out dry and stiff, but the merchant didn't seem to notice. He continued politely:
"I've met many customers like you before. Care to guess how I usually persuade them?"
"…No idea."
"Although it may sound improper coming from me, being purchased is, in truth, the best outcome most of these slaves can hope for. Our highest-grade stock is usually strong men and beautiful women. If a kind master buys them, their circumstances undeniably improve."
He offered no excuses for their situation, nor any defense of his own actions. He simply stated the cold facts—an undeniable, brutal reality.
---
T/N: 4 chaps meeting this weeks quota, last week it was 7dtd this week it was tomodachi life........ teehee
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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